News from BG: April 11, 2018

Upcoming Public Meetings:

Charter Review Committee is scheduled to meet April 12 at 4:00 pm in Council Chamber, 304 N. Church St.

Public Lands and Buildings Committee of City Council is scheduled to meet April 12 at 5:30 pm in Council Chamber. The purpose of the meeting is to discuss Chapter 113 of the Codified Ordinances pertaining to peddlers, solicitors, and itinerant merchants (food trucks).

City Council is scheduled to meet April 16 at 7:00 pm in Council Chamber.

Tree Commission is scheduled to meet April 17 at 4:00 pm in Council Chamber.

Bicycle Safety Commission is scheduled to meet April 17 at 6:00 pm in Council Chamber.

Tree Commission Seminar

The Bowling Green Tree Commission will be hosting a class on “Caring for Fruit Trees” on Saturday, April 14, 2018 from 9:00 – 11:00 am at Simpson Garden Park. The event is free to the public. The class will be held in the classroom and outside. Attendees will learn about how to prune their fruit trees and how to identify and manage key pests..

Wintergarden/St. John’s Nature Preserve Controlled Burn

Periodic fires have been conducted in the nature preserve since 2000. These controlled burns have greatly enhanced the natural habitat for wildlife and assist with plant management – efficiently removing non-native invasive species that invade our local habitat and shade out native plants. Controlled burns are considered a natural resource manager’s most cost-effective tool for managing a natural habitat.

Given the correct weather conditions, the nature preserve will conduct a prescribed burn this spring to maintain the prairie grasses and flowers. Questions about this may be directed to the Naturalist Office at 419-353-0301.

Rules of the Road – Biking

Bicycling around Bowling Green during warm weather can be fun, easy, and a safe way to enjoy everything this community has to offer. While doing so, it may be worth reflecting on where and how you ride – on the road or on the sidewalk.

When riding your bicycle on the street, you have the same rights and responsibilities as motorists; however, if you ride your bicycle on sidewalks, you are considered a pedestrian and must act accordingly. Interestingly, bicyclists are actually safer when they ride on the road as opposed to riding on the sidewalk – especially at intersections and at driveway openings – primarily because they are more visible to vehicles making turns. This was one of the many lessons learned in 2016 when the City asked Yay Bikes! – a biking advocacy non-profit out of Columbus – to come to Bowling Green to assess the “bikability” of our streets. They also provided information to help City staff when considering the application of “complete streets” in Bowling Green. Complete streets, or active transportation, is the concept of making roads more accessible to all users – vehicle, bicycle, and pedestrian traffic.